my father must always be above reproach.”
“Your father could have shrugged this off, railed against silly girls who misuse technology and joked about how I would need to be protected in the future. There were many options, any of which would have ended well for us.”
“My father was genuinely appalled and humiliated.”
“No, Darshan. Your father was already appalled and humiliated that you wanted to marry me.”
She had said it, and just uttering the words made her stomach knot. But the suspicion that had been growing right beside her romantic daydreams was fully blossoming now, and Darshan had done nothing to stunt it.
He answered slowly. “Perhaps at first he was against it. He had hoped for a marriage that would bring our family financial security. But when he saw how happy I was—”
“He continued to berate you. That is what happened, is it not? Your father was never in favor of our marriage. Nor your mother. And they worked on you, planted seeds, and when this came about, you knew you had been defeated. This was the excuse they needed to drive home that final thrust.”
He was silent.
“I deserve to know,” she said.
“My father’s businesses began to fail,” he said at last. “He was busy with his post in the government and neglected them. He lost a great deal of money, and he must have money if he’s to become our next chief minister.”
“Well, you were a dutiful son, after one sad flash of rebellion.”
He stopped and took her arm. “Janya, what’s past is past. Many mistakes were made. But it was my father, not me, who felt you were not suitable. I thought I could change him.”
She started back the way they had come, walking faster. Someone had built an elaborate sand castle, but the tide had already begun to eat away the perimeter. Soon it would fall under the assault, and tomorrow it would be gone. She sidestepped it as she had before, in no hurry to hasten the process. But Darshan wasn’t watching or didn’t care, and he plowed right through it.
“Why are you here?” she asked. “Do you feel so bad that you finally decided to explain? Because I’ve understood for a long time how we came to this. You have wasted money on airfare you should have saved for your wedding.”
They stopped again. He put his hands on her shoulders. “I want you. It’s no good pretending I don’t. A life without you? I can’t imagine it.”
“How can you imagine one with me?”
“Janya…”
The weight of his hands was another reminder of better days. They were strong and warm, with elegant, long fingers carefully manicured. His dark eyes were searching hers, and behind them…? She wasn’t sure. She had a sudden insight, was reminded of another man, although she couldn’t quite make the connection.
“You’re married.” He rotated his thumbs, going right to the tension in her shoulders. Darshan’s hands were magical, as if he understood exactly how to please, exactly how to make sure his hands helped him get whatever he wanted.
“Would you leave your husband for me?” he asked softly.
She knew better than to put herself in his power. She waited.
“I’m about to marry. And after one wedding that didn’t transpire, could I back out of another?”
Again she waited for him to answer his own question.
“But I will be in the United States often,” he continued. “My new firm wants me to work closely with the architect I mentioned.”
She stepped away from him, turned and started up the sand, cutting across it at an angle and back toward her car.
He caught up in a few strides. “We can be everything to each other, Janya. Everything that matters. Neither of us married for love. But we can have that, too. We can’t be husband and wife, but we can be lovers.”
She said nothing. She just found the path, crossed one lot and then the street. She halted before crossing the hotel lot. Darshan put his arms around her and pulled her behind a tree.
“I will never love anyone else. I know you love me. Look at me.”
She did. She searched his eyes, and she realized who he had reminded her of, the other man who had come to mind on the beach.
She shuddered. “You said mistakes were made? You’re correct. I made two, Darshan. First I fell in love with a man who thought he was better than I was.” She pulled away and started toward her car.
He caught up again. “This is foolish. What do we